Phantom Craftinsure Super Series 2025/26 - Summary
by Mike Webster 31 Jul 10:39 BST

Phantom training and Craftinsure Super Series event at Northampton © Olivia Joyce
The 2025/26 Phantom Craftinsure Super Series has now drawn to a close, and what a season it has been. Across seven events and venues stretching from the South Coast to Yorkshire and the Midlands, the Series has delivered exactly what it set out to provide: competitive racing, a great variety of sailing conditions and plenty of opportunities for Phantom sailors from across the country to test themselves against the very best.
The Series began with the 2025 National Championships at Hooe Point SC, before moving on in 2026 to the Yorkshire Dales SC, Stone SC, the Optimum Time Inland Championships at Grafham Water SC, Castle Cove SC, Northampton SC and, finally, Lee-on-Solent SC. Each event added another piece to the overall championship puzzle, with sailors having to combine speed and consistency while making the most of their results across the season.
By the time the final race at Lee-on-Solent had been completed, 19 sailors had successfully qualified for the overall Series, having competed in at least three events. The resulting leaderboard demonstrates just how competitive the Phantom class has become with new younger faces bringing down the average age of the fleet.
Congratulations go to Jon Rickard of Hooe Point SC our current National Champion, who emerged as the 2025/26 Phantom Super Series champion. Jon was followed on the podium by Rob Cook of Northampton SC in second and Will Gulliver of Northampton SC in third. Mike Webster, Ben Dancer and Sam Coxan completed an impressive group at the sharp end of the fleet, while a further 13 sailors earned their places in the final standings.
One of the great strengths of the Series this year has been its depth. A further 25 sailors completed two events, falling just one result short of the three-event qualification requirement. That is a significant number and underlines the growing appeal of the Series. With so many sailors already within touching distance of qualifying, there is every reason to believe that participation and competition will be even stronger in 2026/27.
The final standings also show how closely fought the Series was. Sailors from clubs right across the country featured in the top 19, demonstrating the strength and breadth of the Phantom fleet and the value of having a championship that encourages competitors to travel and race at different venues across all regions.
The Craftinsure Super Series prize-giving will take place on the Friday evening of the 2026 National Championships at Tenby Sailing Club, 3-6 September, giving the qualifiers the perfect opportunity to celebrate their achievements together.
So, congratulations to Jon, Rob, Will and all 19 qualifiers, and a huge thank you to Craftinsure, the host clubs, race officers, volunteers and everyone who has supported the Series throughout the year.
Overall Results:
| Pos | Sail No | Helm | Club | Nationals | Yorkshire | Stone | Inlands | Weymouth | N'hampton | Lee | Num Events | Pts |
| 1st | 1506 | Jon Rickard | Hooe Point | 1 | | | 2 | | | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2nd | 1496 | Rob Cook | Northampton | 29 | 2 | 1 | | | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| 3rd | 1481 | Will Gulliver | Northampton | 7 | | | 3 | | 1 | | 3 | 11 |
| 4th | 1440 | Mike Webster | Castle Cove | 47 | | | 6 | 3 | 3 | | 4 | 12 |
| 5th | 1478 | Ben Dancer | Llandegfedd | 6 | | | | 4 | | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| 6th | 1450 | Sam Coxon | Chase | 4 | | | 1 | | | 9 | 3 | 14 |
| 7th | 1504 | Titch Wayling | Northampton | 9 | 5 | 4 | 10 | | 5 | 6 | 6 | 14 |
| 8th | 1488 | Andy Pyett | Combs | 19 | 6 | | 9 | | 7 | 17 | 5 | 22 |
| 9th | 1423 | Jeremy Deacon | Broadwater | 27 | | | 12 | | 6 | 8 | 4 | 26 |
| 10th | 1500 | Rich Nurse | Northampton | 21 | | 2 | 5 | | | | 3 | 28 |
| 11th | 1266 | Kieran Bowsher | West Oxfordshire | | | | 13 | | 18 | 7 | 3 | 38 |
| 12th | 1371 | Richard Clayton | Yorkshire Dales | 33 | 9 | | 20 | | 9 | | 4 | 38 |
| 13th | 1405 | Andy Smith | Hollingworth Lake | 39 | | | 21 | 10 | 10 | | 4 | 41 |
| 14th | 1259 | Steve McDonald | Starcross | 24 | | | | 8 | | 10 | 3 | 42 |
| 15th | 1492 | Jim Hopton | Shustoke | 20 | | | 15 | | 8 | | 3 | 43 |
| 16th | 1351 | Nick Thorp | Ardleigh | | | 14 | 22 | | | 14 | 3 | 50 |
| 17th | 1447 | Tim Denby | Broadstairs | | | 8 | 30 | | 14 | | 3 | 52 |
| 18th | 1416 | Dave Patrick | Broadwater | 30 | | | | | 13 | 13 | 3 | 56 |
| 19th | 1394 | Nick Favell | Gt Yarmouth & Gorleston | 41 | | 11 | | | 11 | | 3 | 63 |